Dragon to Dragon
by Seraphilim
Summary: The Dragon of Echigo spends some time instructing another Dragon, using a particular story about three kingdoms...


Dragon to Dragon

By Seraphil

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Once again, the southerly wind was blowing violently outside. In his castle at Kasuga-yama, Uesugi Kenshin turned away from the balcony of his war room, closing the sliding door behind him.

"Friend… I cannot help but feel that your absence has turned these lands for the worse."

There was no answer. Takeda Shingen, Kenshin's most worthy adversary and sometimes friend, had died three years ago during his march on Kyoto. Two years later, Kenshin learned of Shingen's son catastrophic failure at Nagashino, and he couldn't help but think how the warriors of Kai would not have suffered such a defeat if Shingen were still alive. Kenshin sighed as he wondered how he too should combat the threat of the Oda clan.

Just that moment, there was rustling behind the interior door, and one of the guardsmen declared, "Lord Uesugi, announcing the arrival of Lord Date Masamune!"

The door slid open, and in marched Masamune, clad in green child-sized robe and hakama. The one-eyed Dragon faced off with the Dragon of Echigo, and both were silent. Kenshin wondered why Terumune would send his son, who couldn't possibly be older than nine or ten, to such a warlord as himself. Of course, he knew the answer as well: the elder Date wanted Masamune to succeed him as lord when he reached adulthood, and had sent him to Echigo to learn from his ally, the famous War God.

"…Boy, what do you know of warfare?"

Kenshin didn't bother with pleasantries, he expected the child to already know who he was and what he was there for. In response, Masamune puffed his chest arrogantly as he replied, "I've trained in the sword since I could walk, and I'm perfectly able to kill a man. I have also read the Art of War, and know something of strategy. What more is necessary?"

Kenshin nodded, he expected this answer. The boy knew the basics. But, his father wanted him to be well learned in all areas of leadership, strategy, and warfare. In such a case, Uesugi Kenshin was the best man to teach.

He walked over to the head of the room, and sat down on the floor in front of the altar to the god Bishamonten. He picked up the sake jar and dish from the floor next to him and filled the dish as he said, "Sit, boy."

Masamune frowned as Kenshin again refrained from addressing him by name, but the child did as was said and sat on the floor some distance from Kenshin. For long moments they sat there, the only sounding being that of Kenshin drinking down his dish of sake. Suddenly, Kenshin spoke.

"Boy, what do you know of Chinese history?"  
"China? That backwards country to the west across the sea?"  
"I take it you know only what was dictated in Sun Tzu's Art of War, then. In that case, let me tell you a story."  
Masamune scoffed, as he crossed his arms. "A story? Just because I'm a kid doesn't mean you have to treat me like one."  
Ignoring the boy's comments, Kenshin continued, "This story began just under fourteen hundred years ago in China. At this time, a dynasty called the Han had ruled for multiple generations, but now was finally crumbling, as the citizens grew discontent. A mass rebellion broke out called the Yellow Turban uprising. The Han court could not deal with it themselves, so warriors from around rose to meet this rebellion, and crushed it. Three notable men were borne of this conflict: Cao Cao, an ambitious young officer rather like Oda Nobunaga, Sun Jian, a powerful and brash warlord of the south, and Liu Bei, a simple man who claimed the path of virtue. These three men would eventually establish three kingdoms, and vie for power over all of China."  
Masamune, who didn't quite get the point of Kenshin's story, asked, "Right, so three guys, three kingdoms. Big fight. Who won?"

Shaking his head, Kenshin continued, "Who won is a story for another time. The Han eventually lost all power as a selfish man named Dong Zhuo seized control of the court by placing a puppet emperor on the throne over the heir apparent, whom he then had put to death. This man quickly became the de facto ruler, the puppet emperor having no power to stop him. Eventually, Cao Cao called for all the warlords and leaders to join forces to oust the tyrant from the capital: the resulting army was over a million men strong."

Masamune blinked. "A MILLION? That's crazy. Even your own army doesn't break a sixty thousand, right?"

Kenshin nodded. "China is a vast land of many peoples. Warlords had vast armies and vast territories. But moving back to the story, the coalition, which included those three men I mentioned, moved on the capital under the command of Yuan Shao, a renowned aristocratic leader."

He paused, waiting to see if Masamune would react.

Masamune, who was now somewhat engrossed in the story, asked, "Why didn't Cao Cao lead them? He gathered them together, right?"

Kenshin nodded as he thought, 'Excellent, he's moved onto the first lesson.' In reply, he said, "A good question, boy. Cao Cao at the time was but a minor lord, and had little fame to his name. If he led the coalition, what chance was there that the members would listen to him? No, he needed someone everyone would look up to, and Yuan Shao fit that position perfectly. As Yuan Shao was Cao Cao's friend, this was all the easier to implement."  
"Oh, I get it… for a leader, the leader must be charismatic and have the faith of those who follow him. Right?"  
"Well done, boy. The first lesson I teach you here is how to be a leader. Now, let me tell you of a man I'm sure you know of, Takeda Shingen…"

END


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